Corn gathering, snapping, and husking roll



li 29, l940-A A.. F.LuKEs 2,219,483

4 CORN GATHERING, SNA'PING,` AND HUSKING ROLL Filed Nov.v 25, 195s :inventor .Adozph F Lakes, y

Patented oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE CORN GATHERING, SNAPPING, AND HUSKING ROLL My invention relates to improvements in corn harvesters, and specifically to the gathering, snapping, and husking rolls thereof, and the principal object is to supply two pairs of coacting rolls in which the first pair act in gathering, snapping and delivering the snapped ears of corn upon the second pair of husking rolls, the first pair being relatively offset from the second pair forwardly, and with rearwardly traveling fingered chain means for propelling earsV along said second pair during the process of husking and to a place for delivery, whereb-y the complete operation is achieved by the associated pairs of rolls.

Other specic improvements relate to the shaping of the respective rolls suitably to effect the above operation of gathering, snapping and husking of the ears, as will be explained in the speciiication` hereof, claimed in the claims and illustrated inthe drawing, appended hereto.

Fig. l is a top plan of the assembled pairs of rolls and the associated fingered ear propelling chain and carrying sp-rocket wheels therefor, parts of the cores of the rolls being broken away. Fig. 2

is a side elevation of the elements shown in Fig. l, showing the second pair of rolls mounted at a lower elevation than the first pair, and as associated with said lingered chain. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the above elements taken on the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring to Fig. l, the numerals I and l denote rotatable cores placed in parallel adjacent to each other, and which may be rotated by power means not shown applied thereto, and with meshed gears 4 and 5 fixed upon the cores respectively for rotating them in opposite directions. These cores may be solid or tubular as shown in Fig. 3, as desired. In advance of said gears, cylindrical sleeves 3 and 2 are secured,

the rear portions of the sleeves at 3d and 2d being v of greater diameter than the roll bodies or sleeves to the right, and said rear portions are grooved obliquely, therearound, at 3e and 2e, the grooves on said rear portions being arranged in opposite directions.

The roll 2 has its forward end offset rearwardly from the forward end of the roll 3, but

the forward parts of the rolls at 2a and 3a are conica-l and respectively have reversed threads 2b and 3b thereon. Upon the intermediate parts of the rolls 2 and 3 are reversely positioned projections 2c and 3c respectively and relatively longitudinally spirally positioned with the projections on one roll staggered vrelatively to said projections on the other roll. All of the projections have lateral offset parts therealong, the opposed offset projections coacting during the reverse rotations of the rolls in snapping and1 then delivering the snapped ears inclinedly down- 5 ward across a longitudinal angle-bar S34-9a fixed on a plate 8, and upon the second pair of offset rolls I2 and I3, mounted on oppositely rotatable cores Iii and Il respectively, driven by suitablev means, the cores having meshing gears I4 and I5. As shown in Fig. 3 the rolls I2 and I3 are below the level of the relatively vertically obliquely positioned rolls 3 and 2, and the rolls I2 and I3 are paired horizontally relative to each other below the table 8 and a horizontally alined table 3a spaced therefrom.

The rolls I2 and I3 both have a plurality of oblique grooves IZa, and I3a respectively therealong, the grooves on one roll being directed oppositely angularly to the grooves on the other 20 roll.v The roll I3 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced circumferential grooves I3b therealong, and the roll I2 has rows of longitudinally arranged fixed fingers |212` projecting therefrom into said circumferential grooves I3b in the roll I3.

Upright shafts I9 and I6, rotatable, and carrying the sprocket wheels 2G and Il respectively, are mounted on the table 8a, and a sprocket chain 2l is passed around said wheels to travel 30 in the direction rearwardly indicated by the arrows. A plurality of spaced push-fingers I8 are end-secured to links of said chain to project iixedly outwardly at right angles thereto and to move above the rolls I2 and I3 rearwardly. These 35 push-fingers may be otherwise shaped, but are preferably shaped as outwardly directed plates with an outer angle removed, as shown.

Operation-The pair of rolls 2 and 3 have conical forward parts 2a and 3a carrying spiral 40 threads reversed in angular relation to each other, and driven oppositely by the coacting gears 4 and 5 as usual whereby the threads gather in forward alinement stalks of corn as the rolls advance with the machine. The rugated segment- 45 ally spiral projections 2c and 3c on the main body of the rolls snap off the ears from the alined stalks as the machine moves forward riding upwardly as usual on the stalks to snap off the ears in succession on a stalk, and as the rolls 50 are relatively laterally inclined to each other the ears, dropping upon the rolls, are discharged therefrom laterally above the divisional anglebar 9 upon the inclined rearwardly directed husking rolls I2 and I3. As these rolls, while in- 55 yclined upwardly rearwardly are not inclined .laterally relative to each other, the push-fingers I8 on the chain 2| propel the ears in succession along the rolls, where the oppositely inclined walls of the grooves l2al and I3a, also the lateral fingers I2b, husk the ears before their delivery by the chain from the rolls.

In the event that the ears are not snapped from the stalks by the rugations 3c and 2c of the rolls 3 and 2, the enlarged rear parts 3d and 2d of the rolls further compress the stalks and insurethe snapping off of unsnapped ears by the reversed edges of the grooves 2e and 3e, delivering the ears upon the side rolls I2 a-nd I3 for husking. As the rolls I2 and I3 are oiset rearwardly from the rolls 2 and 3 with wider parts 2d and 3d, the ears discharged from the latter parts are delivered upon the rolls 2d and 3d considerably to the rear of the rst pair of rolls for adequate husking treatment before delivery.

The pins I2b angularly set on unrugated opposite sides of the rolls I2 project into the annular grooves I3b of the roll I3 and assist in stripping the husks from the ears as the ears are propelled rearwardly by the fingers I8 of the chain 2|, whereby all of the ears are husked before delivery.

I claim:

In a corn harvester, in combination, a pair of gathering and snapping rolls geared together rearwardly and having their forward end parts conical, one roll positioned at a higher level than the other roll and the conical end parts having threads therealong in staggered relation, the rear end parts of the rolls having oblique grooves spaced apart therearound, the intermediate parts of the rolls having longitudinally spaced obliquely directed ribs therearound between the conic heads and said enlarged rear end parts thereof, with their respective rib parts in reverse relation relative to each other, and toothed along the opposite sides thereof, a second pair of rolls geared together rearwardly, positioned in a horizontal plane to one side of and below the level of the first pair of rolls and spaced therefrom, a longitudinal angle-bar supported between the adjacent opposite rolls of said pairs of rolls, a relatively fixed longitudinal plate supported in offset relation beyond the farther roll of the second pair of rolls and thereabove, rotatably driven sprocket wheels supported on opposite end parts of said plate, a sprocket-chain meshed with and carried around said sprocket wheels with outwardly directed transverse planer bodies carried on equally spaced certain links of said chain to sweep over and along the upper surface of said plate adjacent said angle-bar, the second pair of rolls having relatively reversed grooves therealong, one of said pair having spaced grooves, therearound, and the other of said pair having alned longitudinally spaced rigid pins thereon to traverse said grooves.

ADOLPH F. LUKES. 

